Dangerous to take sobriety for granted...
voices ca**y
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: St. Paul Minnesota
Posts: 4,359
You are absolutely right. Early in recovery I read something that people who achieve long term sobriety periodically recommit themselves throughout their whole lives. Ive seen relapses after decades of sobriety.
I also started thinking to myself about a year sober that I may have overreacted and had been a heavy drinker and not an alcoholic. Someone on here told me that was typical addict thinking and it was
I also started thinking to myself about a year sober that I may have overreacted and had been a heavy drinker and not an alcoholic. Someone on here told me that was typical addict thinking and it was
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 3,928
Originally Posted by silentrun 
You are absolutely right. Early in recovery I read something that people who achieve long term sobriety periodically recommit themselves throughout their whole lives. Ive seen relapses after decades of sobriety.
I also started thinking to myself about a year sober that I may have overreacted and had been a heavy drinker and not an alcoholic. Someone on here told me that was typical addict thinking and it was
I also started thinking to myself about a year sober that I may have overreacted and had been a heavy drinker and not an alcoholic. Someone on here told me that was typical addict thinking and it was
Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: US East Coast
Posts: 1,972
Good work on resisting temptation, Dusty! I had a sneaky "craving" just last week. I was browsing in a store with 18th century goods and I came across bottles of mead. I realized that I had never tried mead and felt disappointed. Started thinking "hey, maybe I can just try a sample." Didn't, of course. Kinda pathetic since there is a reason why no one drinks mead anymore.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2021
Location: England
Posts: 1,849
Originally Posted by GroundhogDay
Good work on resisting temptation, Dusty! I had a sneaky "craving" just last week. I was browsing in a store with 18th century goods and I came across bottles of mead. I realized that I had never tried mead and felt disappointed. Started thinking "hey, maybe I can just try a sample." Didn't, of course. Kinda pathetic since there is a reason why no one drinks mead anymore.
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 3,928
I used to be curious about that old style drink too. I never got to try it. Oh well, I got to try a whole load of other things I wouldn’t have done as a drinker.
Just had a quick Google and reckon I’d have been very underwhelmed
Just had a quick Google and reckon I’d have been very underwhelmed
quat
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: terra (mostly)firma
Posts: 4,822
My AV and I go everywhere together ,lol.
In the beginning of being ‘quat’ , when booze and boozing was the center of the activity or close to , It made its presence known, lots of whining and self pity born of deprivation .
But that was pretty understandable, in hindsight , as It was new . Implementing my Big Plan was the genesis of the identification of the AV , prior to making my BP I wasn’t ‘hearing/feeling’ the AV , I was just unquestioningly following the Beast’s dictates , feeding it more booze .
Making the decision to make the decision brought It into very sharp focus, allowing me to identify It and drag It into the light /focus and created a ‘space’ ( that’s what the kids say theses days , yeah ?) to separate from It.
But the ‘new space’ was just that, it was a new paradigm and there were areas in ‘there’ that were not comfortable to navigate.
Intellectually I knew I had a great unbeatable plan , never going to be a drunk again if I decided there was no way a drop of more booze was going to travel passed my nose and down my gullet. The internal logic is impeccable, but “c’mon .. not one .? not ever , seriously? that’s practically nuts , there’s gonna situations ..cmon none? seriously?”(hello AV )
In a moment in church when You were contemplating the idea of a ‘reward’ , or that split second after You realized if someone ‘placed’ a glass in your hand You may have let it happen , was You not practicing separation , all those thoughts happened , you even describe a narrative where those thoughts were isolated , but then You decided to own them. And the associated feelings of longing or loss caused by the purposeful deprivation , holding that new space that separation soon afforded Me the opportunity to be free from the negative feelings of loss and paradoxically start reveling in Its loss .
Mine is still there , but I don’t give a toss( that’s what the kids say , yeah ?). In the intermediate ‘newness’ of the new paradigm of living the BP , I found the switching exercises described in the AVRT literature to bolster my confidence in being more than able to live comfortably in the face of residual desire.
Please don’t take this convoluted ramble as a lesson in how ‘you’re doing this wrong” , it’s meant to say yeah been there , done that, and it most certainly can and does ‘get better’ , my experience here stipulated as evidence
What’s Your Plan for future alcohol use ?
In the beginning of being ‘quat’ , when booze and boozing was the center of the activity or close to , It made its presence known, lots of whining and self pity born of deprivation .
But that was pretty understandable, in hindsight , as It was new . Implementing my Big Plan was the genesis of the identification of the AV , prior to making my BP I wasn’t ‘hearing/feeling’ the AV , I was just unquestioningly following the Beast’s dictates , feeding it more booze .
Making the decision to make the decision brought It into very sharp focus, allowing me to identify It and drag It into the light /focus and created a ‘space’ ( that’s what the kids say theses days , yeah ?) to separate from It.
But the ‘new space’ was just that, it was a new paradigm and there were areas in ‘there’ that were not comfortable to navigate.
Intellectually I knew I had a great unbeatable plan , never going to be a drunk again if I decided there was no way a drop of more booze was going to travel passed my nose and down my gullet. The internal logic is impeccable, but “c’mon .. not one .? not ever , seriously? that’s practically nuts , there’s gonna situations ..cmon none? seriously?”(hello AV
)In a moment in church when You were contemplating the idea of a ‘reward’ , or that split second after You realized if someone ‘placed’ a glass in your hand You may have let it happen , was You not practicing separation , all those thoughts happened , you even describe a narrative where those thoughts were isolated , but then You decided to own them. And the associated feelings of longing or loss caused by the purposeful deprivation , holding that new space that separation soon afforded Me the opportunity to be free from the negative feelings of loss and paradoxically start reveling in Its loss .
Mine is still there , but I don’t give a toss( that’s what the kids say , yeah ?). In the intermediate ‘newness’ of the new paradigm of living the BP , I found the switching exercises described in the AVRT literature to bolster my confidence in being more than able to live comfortably in the face of residual desire.
Please don’t take this convoluted ramble as a lesson in how ‘you’re doing this wrong” , it’s meant to say yeah been there , done that, and it most certainly can and does ‘get better’ , my experience here stipulated as evidence
What’s Your Plan for future alcohol use ?
Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 5,163
Originally Posted by dwtbd
My AV and I go everywhere together ,lol.
In the beginning of being ‘quat’ , when booze and boozing was the center of the activity or close to , It made its presence known, lots of whining and self pity born of deprivation .
But that was pretty understandable, in hindsight , as It was new . Implementing my Big Plan was the genesis of the identification of the AV , prior to making my BP I wasn’t ‘hearing/feeling’ the AV , I was just unquestioningly following the Beast’s dictates , feeding it more booze .
Making the decision to make the decision brought It into very sharp focus, allowing me to identify It and drag It into the light /focus and created a ‘space’ ( that’s what the kids say theses days , yeah ?) to separate from It.
But the ‘new space’ was just that, it was a new paradigm and there were areas in ‘there’ that were not comfortable to navigate.
Intellectually I knew I had a great unbeatable plan , never going to be a drunk again if I decided there was no way a drop of more booze was going to travel passed my nose and down my gullet. The internal logic is impeccable, but “c’mon .. not one .? not ever , seriously? that’s practically nuts , there’s gonna situations ..cmon none? seriously?”(hello AV )
In a moment in church when You were contemplating the idea of a ‘reward’ , or that split second after You realized if someone ‘placed’ a glass in your hand You may have let it happen , was You not practicing separation , all those thoughts happened , you even describe a narrative where those thoughts were isolated , but then You decided to own them. And the associated feelings of longing or loss caused by the purposeful deprivation , holding that new space that separation soon afforded Me the opportunity to be free from the negative feelings of loss and paradoxically start reveling in Its loss .
Mine is still there , but I don’t give a toss( that’s what the kids say , yeah ?). In the intermediate ‘newness’ of the new paradigm of living the BP , I found the switching exercises described in the AVRT literature to bolster my confidence in being more than able to live comfortably in the face of residual desire.
Please don’t take this convoluted ramble as a lesson in how ‘you’re doing this wrong” , it’s meant to say yeah been there , done that, and it most certainly can and does ‘get better’ , my experience here stipulated as evidence
What’s Your Plan for future alcohol use ?
In the beginning of being ‘quat’ , when booze and boozing was the center of the activity or close to , It made its presence known, lots of whining and self pity born of deprivation .
But that was pretty understandable, in hindsight , as It was new . Implementing my Big Plan was the genesis of the identification of the AV , prior to making my BP I wasn’t ‘hearing/feeling’ the AV , I was just unquestioningly following the Beast’s dictates , feeding it more booze .
Making the decision to make the decision brought It into very sharp focus, allowing me to identify It and drag It into the light /focus and created a ‘space’ ( that’s what the kids say theses days , yeah ?) to separate from It.
But the ‘new space’ was just that, it was a new paradigm and there were areas in ‘there’ that were not comfortable to navigate.
Intellectually I knew I had a great unbeatable plan , never going to be a drunk again if I decided there was no way a drop of more booze was going to travel passed my nose and down my gullet. The internal logic is impeccable, but “c’mon .. not one .? not ever , seriously? that’s practically nuts , there’s gonna situations ..cmon none? seriously?”(hello AV
)In a moment in church when You were contemplating the idea of a ‘reward’ , or that split second after You realized if someone ‘placed’ a glass in your hand You may have let it happen , was You not practicing separation , all those thoughts happened , you even describe a narrative where those thoughts were isolated , but then You decided to own them. And the associated feelings of longing or loss caused by the purposeful deprivation , holding that new space that separation soon afforded Me the opportunity to be free from the negative feelings of loss and paradoxically start reveling in Its loss .
Mine is still there , but I don’t give a toss( that’s what the kids say , yeah ?). In the intermediate ‘newness’ of the new paradigm of living the BP , I found the switching exercises described in the AVRT literature to bolster my confidence in being more than able to live comfortably in the face of residual desire.
Please don’t take this convoluted ramble as a lesson in how ‘you’re doing this wrong” , it’s meant to say yeah been there , done that, and it most certainly can and does ‘get better’ , my experience here stipulated as evidence
What’s Your Plan for future alcohol use ?
Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: The Midwest
Posts: 649
Originally Posted by dustyfox
Last night I went to an music concert at our local church and despite the fact there does not need to be wine at this event, there was yet again wine. Wow eveyone was in such a great mood and drinking and chatting and several people said have a glass of wine. It was a great atmosphere , I could literally see the wine sloshing in the glasses as people were happily, joyfully glugging it back.
For about a minute I felt overwhelmed and almost like I could just join in, why not, just a glass, I have been sober for a year, surely I deserve it - terrifying.
I did not and the urge passed within a few minutes. But I think in the minute I felt the urge had someone pressed a glass into my hand I would have found it very difficult.
Wow - I am very thankful that I have been reminded how near the edge I still am.
For about a minute I felt overwhelmed and almost like I could just join in, why not, just a glass, I have been sober for a year, surely I deserve it - terrifying.
I did not and the urge passed within a few minutes. But I think in the minute I felt the urge had someone pressed a glass into my hand I would have found it very difficult.
Wow - I am very thankful that I have been reminded how near the edge I still am.
Happens to all of us sometimes. I've caught myself thinking, "well, a little whiskey someday would be nice. Maybe when I'm much older." <-- that's AV talking, trying to get a foot in the door. Recognize that voice for what it is and push it aside! You did that!
Keep onward
Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 3,928
^ Well said, Evoo.
I wrote a post about a miniature bottle of whisky which had been in my kitchen for years. Someone had given it to my wife in the distant past, and she doesn’t drink anyway. I’d forgotten about the whisky until a tidy up and I left it on the kitchen counter intending to give it away. However, I started to notice it more and more (I never even liked whisky) and decided to pour it down the sink. Only after doing so did I take a little sniff, and I’ll be very honest - it smelled wonderful. It was a huge risk just having that tiny bottle in the house. If I’d have been tempted to have a sip, I’d have got a taste for it, and at the very best that would’ve taken weeks to get out my head. At the worst….
And this is after three and a half years sobriety. None of us are cured. We need to be vigilant
I wrote a post about a miniature bottle of whisky which had been in my kitchen for years. Someone had given it to my wife in the distant past, and she doesn’t drink anyway. I’d forgotten about the whisky until a tidy up and I left it on the kitchen counter intending to give it away. However, I started to notice it more and more (I never even liked whisky) and decided to pour it down the sink. Only after doing so did I take a little sniff, and I’ll be very honest - it smelled wonderful. It was a huge risk just having that tiny bottle in the house. If I’d have been tempted to have a sip, I’d have got a taste for it, and at the very best that would’ve taken weeks to get out my head. At the worst….
And this is after three and a half years sobriety. None of us are cured. We need to be vigilant
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